Mean-pressure apparatus.



l RATRNTRD AUS-6, 1907.

S. A. RRRVR. y MBAR PRESSURE APPARATUS.

APPLIAIION FILED 0012.31. 1905.

SIDNEY A. AREEVE, oF

WORCESTER,MASSACHUSETTS, As'siGNon To CHARLES E. BROWN,-

TRUSTEE, or READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

i, MEAN-PRESSURE APPARATUS.

` Specification of/Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. e, 1907.

Application filed O otobe 31, 1905. Serial No. 285,330.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIDNEY A. Rnnvn, a {tizen of .the United States, residing at Worcester, in t e county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented y certain new and useful Improvements in lVean-Pressure Apparatus, ofwhich the following specification and accompanying drawings illustrate the invention in a form which I now regard as the best out of the various forms in which it may, be embodied.

This invention relates to apparatus for. establishing and registering a mean gaseous pressure between two points or periods of different pressures, and to the application of such means'in securing automatic regulation,

y as of themean waterelevel /ina continuous-flame internal-combustion generator for the purpose of obtaining uniform superheat. This purpose is illustrated in the case of 'a generator employing a-burner for compressed i air and fuel, the products of combustion from which pass downwardly through a combustion-tube into a body of waterin a water-pot and emerge into the water through a series of perforations in the lower end of the tube. To obtain some degree of superheat in the steam Vgenerated by the passage ofthe hot gases,'the water is so regulated in quantity that some of the upper holes in thelower end of the combustion-tube will be uncovered or only slightly covered, and the depth to which they are immersed de/pends upon the degree in which the water-level withinthe tube is depressed by the flow of gases, and its level outside of the tube raised. It is found that if an automatic regulator, for example, be

applied to the generator and controlled by the waterlevel outsideof the tube, so as to maintain this outside level Constant, the superheat will vary, for upon aninl crease in the pressure ofthe gases within ,the combustion-tube, a greater quantity of these/@ducts of combustion will pass unquenched through the upper holes and vice versa, while on t ve other hand if the inside level is maintained constant the'superheat will also vary, but in the opposite'way. In the ordinary opera- 4 0 tion of such a generator there is no actual meanlevel of water within and without the combustion-tube, merely a theoretical'mean, but I have invented a meansl of obtaining a body of water at a mean level between these v two levels and have .devised a way of regulating the water-supply so that this mean level is maintained substantially constantA and the superheat accordingly rendered uniform under 'different pressures and volumes of gaseous flow. This means includes a device for obf' taining 'a mean pressure between the gaseous pressures anterior and posterior to the water-body which I also claimas a new invention. In a preferred form the latter device embodies a loop conduit connecting the space anterior to the water body with the space posterior` -one ofthe resistances and its adjusting valve.

thereto so that the gaseous iow may by-pass around the water-body without being subjected to the resistance of the latter. Restricted passages at two points insaid conduit include between them a mcan-pressurechanlber in which, owing to the high rictional resistance imposed upon the flow by these passages, the pressure will be a mean or average between the combustionchamber pressure and the lower cooling-chamber pressure. l now, a U-tube have one of its ends connected with this mean-pressure chamber and the other end connected with tl e water-pot, the water in the outer leg of said U-tube will stand at a level intermediate I between the levels inside and outside the combustiontube and may be registered by a gage-glass. 'lhis mean level of water may then bekept constant by hand-regulation ol feed or by automatic regulation, all as more particularly described hercinaitcr.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a diagrammatic view partly in section, showing an apparatus constructed according to myinvcntion and in cluding a constant-pressure internal-combustion generator' together with the mean-pressure, mean-level and automatic mean-level-controlling devices which constitute the invention, the engine and compressors forming a part of the completcapparatus being shown on a smaller scale. l"ig. 2 represents an Aenlarged section of The same reierence-characters indicate the sam(l 'parts in both Iigurcs. l t

Referring to the drawings, l0 indicates the generator, comprising principally an outer casing .ll whose lowoii" part l2 constitutes the waterIpot or cooliiig'clianilnci', a burner 13 for the compressed air and gus coming through pipes 14, ]5,l'ron1 compressors 'lli l? driven by an engine 18, an automatic regulating valve-mochanism 19 for the air and gas going to the burner, and a combustion-tube 20 opening into the water-pot and having a series of pcrl'orations 2l in its lower portion, distributed between different levels, through. which the products oi combustion pass out into the coolingchamber. Thetube and water-pot thus forma rcturn-bend in the pressurediue. The mixture of steam and gases passes upwardly around the outside oi' the combustion-tube 20 through the upper space or channel 22 and out through the pipe 23 to drive the engine 18. Il one or more oi the uppermost rows of holes 2l is uncovered by water on' the outer side oi' the tube 20,'k some products oi combustion will by-pass uuquenchedV around the water-body and serve to superheat thesteam with which they mingle in passingupwardly.

24 is a pipe connectedwith a pump, for supplying feed-Water to the water-pot l2.

25 indicates a loop or by-pass conduit connected at one end with the upper space 22 forming the outlet passage of the cooling-chamber and at its other end .with the interior oi' the combustionchamber or with some point in the pressure-line having an equivalent pressure. In the drawing two alternative connections are-shown. One is a short pipe 26 having stop-valve 27 and connected with the combustion-tube interior above the level which the inner end of the waterbody assumes under running conditions but below the outer water-level, so that the hot products of combustion maybe somewhat cooled in passing through the loopl The other pipe conn`ection28, containing stop-valve 29, leads from an ante-chamber 30, which may be traversed by a flow of secondary air and contains substantially the same pressure as the combustion-chamber. These pipes may be of any desired lengtlror shape lto efectuaily cool the flow through them by traversing the passage 22 and to provide for unequal expansion,l When the pipe 28 contains a flow of secondary air only, it does not need cooling. Either avenue 2G or 27 may beused or both may operate at the same time.

In the conduit 25 are located two restricted passages Sl'eontrolled by adjustable needle-valves 32 so as to offer a high resistance to the gaseous flow as compared with the resistance offered by the body of the loop 25. That portion 33 of the conduit which is located between thc resistances 3l constitutes the mean-pressure chamber. To it is connected Vthe upper end of a registering loop 34, 35, 36 and a parallel loop 37, 38, 39, whose lower ends are connected with the water-pot 12. The leg or water-column 35 is a gage-glass lor giving a visual indication of the mean water-lcvel X-X and the portion 38 is part of an automatic diaphragm feed-regulator 40 operating a bypass icedvalve`41. This vparticular regulator operates by a differential pressure on opposite sides of its diaphragm caused by the covering or uncovering of an inlet Ai2 to its upper diaphragm-chamber, located at the intended constant water-line. Any other suitable iorm of automatic fecd-controiler may however be employed to maintain a substantially constant level in the water-legs 35 and 38. Automatic control could of course be dispensed with if desired.

In operation,v by a suitable adjustmentpi' the resistances 3l, the pressure in chamber 33.may be made a close arithmetic mean or average between the pressure within thencombustion-chamber on one side of the water-body and the pressure in the space 22 on the opposite side. The water-columns in the legs 35 and 38 will register' the corresponding mean water-level, because the pressure on. the inner leg oi' the U-tube formed by the water-pot and these legs will `be a resultant or mean between the pressure acting down wardly on'the water-body in the comlnistion-tube` 20 and the pressure acting .downwardly thereon in the space 22, while the pressure in the other double leg 35 38 is that mean between these two pressures which exists in thc chamber 33. The controller 40v so regulates the supply of iced-Water to the water-pot l2 that this mean level in legs 35 38 is maintained substantially constant. Accordingly the two levels within the water-pot may depart or approach to accommodate the volume of products of combustion which may be flowing at any one time and the superheat caused -by the passage of unquenched lgases through the upper rows of perforations 21 will remain l substantially constant in degree. For the perfection duit connecting,r them and havin;r resistnnces between which is established u pressure-mean between the two chamber pressures. l i

2. 'ihe frnmbinniion ol' means for establishing.; two different elastic iiuid pressuresa conduit subject ut its ends to the respective pressures, resistances in said conduit, und 'n mean-pressure clmmberin said conduit between' the reslstances.r l

3. The combination of means for establishing two ditierent elastic-fluid pressures, u conduit subject at its ends to the respective pressures, resistunces in said conduit, a mean-pressure chamber iusaid conduit between the resistanccs, and means forseparately adjusting the resistances,

4. The combination of s gaseous-pressure linel adapted to 'sustain a continuous flow, means whereby the pressures at different points in suid lineare maintained at diilerentintnsities, a loop-conduit connecting said points of diderent' pressures und containing a mean-pressure chamber, and re sistances in said conduit at both endsoi said chamber.

` 5. The combination oi a gaseous-pressure line having a retmneiA d, means to maintain in said bend u body o'i' water whose ends are established at different levels by the gaseous iiow, means for estublishintr a pressure-mmm between the pressures on the two ends of the water body. and a tube for registering: the corresponding mean wntenlevel, suid tube having' one end connected with thc return-bend, und the other end subject to the mean gaseous pressure.

li. 'l`heycombination ol' n gaseous-pressure line including an internal-combustion burner. means for nmntniniug a body of water ailordini.: r 'stance in the path oi the products of combustion from d burner. a loop conduit conncl-ting points in snid pressure-line :ulterior and posterior to the water-body und coniainim.Y a mean-pressure chamber. and reslstnnccs in snid conduit ntihe entrance and exit oi said chamber.

T. 'ihe combination ot' :1n iniernnI-combustion generator having a water-poi odnpicd to contain a body oi' water. u combnstion-chamber dischi!risingr thcrcinio. :l moan-pres sure chamber rcccivim.Y the comlnlsiion-chamber ilow nnterior to the \\'nierbod.\' und discluirfxini: into the outlet from said 0i. and resisiunccs ai the entrance und exit of said nicun-prcss\ire clmmbcr.

An intcrnnbcombnstion generator comprising n combustion-tube and water-pot forming- :i return bend. suirl tube having n ioinl outlet distributed between diilcrgent levels, a vchumbci 4recel.'in;Y thc menu pressure between points anterior und posterior to sid return-heini. and

registering tube connected ur one cnd with Suid chamber and ui the other end with the \\uter-pot. l l i il. The combination ot' u water-pot, n combustion-tubc huvlnpr a plurality of outlets nt diiiere'nt heights therein, u chamber receiving the prcssuremean between points un terior und posierior'io said outlets, and a visual watercolnmn c` 'ucr-ted nt one end with said chamber und at the other endy with snid walter-pot.

10. The combination of un iniernul-comlmstion vuporiz- 11. 'lh'e combination of a water-pot,` a combustlon-chnml ber dischargingv thereinto, a water-column connected at one end with the water-pot and receivinr at. the other end the pr #sure-mean between points anterior and-posterior to the water-pot, and means controlled by the water-level in said column for maintaining said level substantially constant.-

1.. The combination of an internal-combustion burner, means for nmintnining a body of water in the path of the products ot combustion, means whereby the anterior and posterior surface-levels of said water-bodyv are caused to diler by dill'erent amounts corresponding to the volume o gaseous flow from said burner, 'means for registering the mean water-level ot' said body, and mechanism subject to said mean .level for automatically maintuininf:Y the same substantially constantA f A 13. ln combination, a generator having,r a water-pot, n combustion-tube having a plurality ot' outlets therein at different heights, a loop-conduit connecting pressure-points anterior and posterior to said water-pot, adjustableA resistunces in said conduit, a registering loop connected at its lower end with the .Water-pot und atits upper end with said loop-conduit between the resistances in the latter, means for supplying feed-water to said water-pot, and an automatic controller governing the suppl)- of feed-water and controlled by the water-level in the registering loop.

1i. ln combination a generator having a continuouslyoperative burner and combustion-tube, a water-pot for quenching the products of combustion, means to supply air and fuel under pressure to said burner, and a by-pass leading from a point in the air-line anteriorl to the burner to a l point in the pressure-line posterior to tlfe water-pot and containing obstructions adapted to form a mean-pressure chamber in the by-pass.

.tober 1905.

SIDNEY A. REEVEQ Witnesses Gnonon H. HAYNns, Hi-)Nnr I'. MUnnAr 

